ETYM Old Eng. reule, riule, Old Fren. riule, reule, French régle, from Latin regula a ruler, rule, model, from regere, rectum, to lead straight, to direct. Related to Right, Regular.
1. A systematic body of regulations defining the way of life of members of a religious order.
2. A principle or condition that customarily governs behavior; SYN. regulation.
3. A rule describing (or prescribing) a linguistic practice; SYN. linguistic rule.
4. Prescribed guide for conduct or action; SYN. prescript.
5. Directions that define the way a game or sport is to be conducted.
6. (Mathematics) A standard procedure for solving a class of problems; SYN. formula.
7. The duration of a monarch's or government's power.
8. A strip of wood or metal or plastic with a straight edge that is used for drawing straight lines and measuring lengths; SYN. ruler.

1. To decide on and make a declaration about; SYN. find.
2. To decide with authority; SYN. decree.
3. To have an affinity with; of signs of the zodiac.
4. To keep in check; SYN. harness, rein.
5. To mark or draw with a ruler; of margins.

Town in Texas (USA); zip code 79547.

1. A line printed above, below, or to the side of some element, either to set that item off from the remainder of the page or to improve the look of the page. Footnotes, for example, often appear below a short rule that sets them off from the main text on the page. The thickness of a rule is typically measured in points. (A point is approximately 1/72 inch.)
2. In expert systems, a statement that can be used to verify premises and to enable a conclusion to be drawn. See also expert system.
3. In packet filtering, a condition that determines whether to pass or drop a packet.